• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Collmenter, D-Backs blank Brewers

Jul 19, 2011 - 5:55 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Josh Collmenter went eight shutout innings and Ryan Roberts added a two-run home run as the Arizona Diamondbacks opened a four-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers with a 3-0 win.

Collmenter's (5-5) past two starts have come against Milwaukee as he went six scoreless innings on July 6 and gave up just three hits and a walk with three strikeouts, but did not factor into the decision.

"He threw an exceptional game," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "He was pounding the zone. He had 105 pitches, 74 strikes."

Monday, though, he was even better as he gave up just three hits and no walks with seven strikeouts to snap a four-game losing streak. His last win had come on June 3 against Washington.

Gerardo Parra's double-play groundout in the third plated Henry Blanco for the only run needed by Arizona, which has won three straight.

Randy Wolf (6-7) pitched a strong game as he gave up just three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings, but he lost for the third time in his past four starts.

"I thought he threw the ball well tonight, we just couldn't help him out," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke about Wolf. "He did a nice job out there again for us."

Singles from Nyjer Morgan, Prince Fielder and Yuniesky Betancourt accounted for the hits for the Brewers, who entered off a four-game series split in Colorado.

Milwaukee is tied with St. Louis at a half-game back of surprising Pittsburgh for first place in the NL Central.

Morgan singled with one out in the first and moved to second on a Mark Kotsay groundout. Fielder, whose three-run home run in the All-Star in this stadium last Tuesday led the NL to victory and earned him the MVP, then hit a bouncer that Willie Bloomquist made a diving stop on and was able to throw out Morgan at home from his knees.

Arizona scored in the third to take the lead. Blanco led off with a single and Collmenter reached base and Blanco was safe thanks to a bad throw to second by Wolf on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Bloomquist then singled to load the bases and Parra hit into a 4-6-3 double play that saw Blanco cross the plate.

The seventh inning saw the Diamondbacks pad their lead as Chris Young doubled with one-out and Roberts drilled a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left for his second home run in as many days.

After Betancourt led off the sixth with a bunt single, that was it for baserunners for Milwaukee as Collmenter set down the next nine batters in order and David Hernandez went 1-2-3 in the ninth for his ninth save of the season.

Game Notes

Arizona took two of three from Milwaukee in early July...Wolf fell to 10-5 in 20 career starts against the Diamondbacks in his career...Roberts has 13 home runs and 40 RBI on the season. Both are career-highs...Yovani Gallardo takes the mound for Milwaukee on Tuesday and will be opposed by Barry Enright.